US border control enforces new regulations for Mexican poultry

Effective immediately, the regulations regarding bringing cooked poultry--such as chicken and turkey--meat, including deli-sliced poultry meat, and cooked, hard-boiled eggs into the US from Mexico are changing.

The US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service informed US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that APHIS is implementing new requirements for processed (including cooked) poultry meat and cooked, hard-boiled eggs brought by passengers arriving from regions where APHIS considers exotic Newcastle disease to exist. Mexico is a country currently recognised by APHIS as being affected by END.

According to the new requirements, processed poultry meat brought by passengers arriving from Mexico must be accompanied by government certification confirming that the meat was cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius, or a USDA APHIS Veterinary Services import permit. Thoroughly cooked eggs from Mexican states other than Sinaloa and Sonora must now be accompanied by a VS import permit.

Following other agency regulations, CBP is required to take action when encountering poultry meat and eggs: importations presented without the required certification will be seized or refused entry.